Best Cities for Young Families in Alabama

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Few states in the South have made the economic transition from agriculture to industry and services as well as Alabama.

Just after World War II, Redstone Arsenal, near Huntsville, became the military’s center for rocket engineering. This effort that eventually became NASA and the Marshall Space Flight Center now ensures that Alabama has a steady flow of money and brainpower.

Alabama has leveraged this position to become a state with diverse industries and many of the qualities that young families seek. The median value of housing in the state is $124,900, 29% below the value of the national mark. Affordability in the state is demonstrated by the 69.7% homeownership rate — higher than the national average of 64.9%. For a young family seeking a long-term investment in a home and their community, Alabama is a solid choice.

NerdWallet found the communities in the Yellowhammer State that offer young families the best combination of solid schools, great neighbors and affordability. Here are the highlights of our second analysis of cities, towns and census-designated places in Alabama.

Our analysis revealed some trends:

Choices big and small. The population of cities in the top 10 ranges from 6,200 in Meridianville to 55,000 in Auburn. From small towns to larger suburbs, families have plenty of choices in Alabama.It’s relatively expensive. Every city in our top 10 has a median home value above the statewide median of $124,900. However, the communities also score well when it comes to schools and family friendliness, so young families in Alabama get a lot for their buck.Communities statewide. Even though the metropolitan areas of Birmingham and Huntsville claim three communities each, the rest of our top 10 is spread across the state. Seven towns are also holdovers from our last list.

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Home affordability. We looked at median home value and selected monthly homeowner costs to prioritize affordable communities.Prosperity and growth. Looking at current and past family incomes, we calculated the income of residents, as well as the projected long-term growth of each city.Quality of education. We looked at ratings at GreatSchools.org to find the best schools.Family friendliness. This year, we added a new component to our methodology — the percentage of families with school-age children and the poverty rate for young children. This measure helps determine if an area is not only affordable for families, but if it is also a healthy one for children.

NerdWallet crunched the data for 96 places in Alabama — cities, towns and census-designated places. Only places with over 5,000 residents were analyzed. To see the full data set, click here.

Best cities for young families in Alabama

1. Southside

“Rich in Hospitality and Genuine Southern Character” is the motto of Southside, and this picturesque riverside town lives up to its billing. Southside has the highest proportion, a third, of family households with children in the top 10, and the Etowah County school system recently ranked third in the state for academic performance. Active families will enjoy the nearby Noccalula Falls Park, which offers hiking trails with views of the park’s 90-foot waterfall.

2. Meridianville

Huntsville is sometimes called the “Silicon Valley of the South,” so Madison County, where most of it is located and the home of Meridianville, has been a destination for money and jobs for decades. Top employers include the Army’s Redstone Arsenal, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Boeing Co., Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. Yet even with an economy full of high-paying engineering jobs, Meridianville has remained affordable: most families will pay about 16% of their monthly income for selected homeowner costs, the lowest rate in the top 10.

3. Madison

If you want your child to grow up to be a rocket scientist, there may be no better place in America than Madison. The town is next to the Redstone Arsenal, which was the birthplace of NASA and now is the home to the Army’s Aviation and Missile Command, the Missile Defense Agency and the Marshall Space Flight Center. Madison has been the beneficiary of the accompanying pool of talent — income growth has been strong in recent years, jumping 76% since 1999. Schools are also excellent as demonstrated by the GreatSchools rating of 9 out of 10, which is tied for the highest mark in the state.

4. Trussville

Trussville is so much like Mayberry, the fictional North Carolina town from “The Andy Griffith Show,” that residents have adopted it as a nickname for their town. It’s a fair comparison: Trussville’s schools earned a strong ranking at GreatSchools, and more than 3 in 10 family households include children. The city is in the planning stages of a downtown redevelopment, which will bring mixed-use properties to the area, ultimately centralizing the town’s economic and cultural offerings.

5. Pelham

For those who seek a fitness challenge, Pelham may be the best city on our list for active and athletic young families who want to push themselves. Oak Mountain State Park is the home of the Southeast Xterra Challenge and the USA Triathlon Off-Road National Championship. Athletic pursuits aside, residents enjoy a combination of affordability and good schools, which received a strong ranking at GreatSchools, and a median home value of $164,800, which is below the top 10 average of $170,410.

6. Hartselle

Hartselle was originally settled in 1870 as a stop along the South and North Alabama Railroad, but the town was moved a half mile to a flat site more suitable for a rail depot. Since then, the town has continued to grow and adapt. Morgan County, where Hartselle is located, has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, according to recent data, which is lower than the statewide rate of 6.0%.

7. Auburn

A handful of times a year, the town of Auburn turns into the most important place in the state of Alabama, though Crimson Tide fans may disagree. On football weekends at Auburn University, the city’s population doubles from 55,404. Auburn, however, isn’t all “War Eagle” chants. With median family income growth of over 350% since 1999, by far the largest gain in the state, Auburn is becoming much more than a college town.

8. Muscle Shoals

Though Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan have all recorded some of their most important work in Muscle Shoals, young families seem to have forgotten about the city. Families with children make up 21% of households, which is down from 30% in 2000. Young families may once again fall in love with Muscle Shoals: It has the lowest median home value in the top 10 at $128,700, and a GreatSchools rating of nine.

9. Calera

Young kids love Calera because Thomas the Tank Engine makes a yearly appearance at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum. Parents love Calera because the town has done extremely well in recent years. Since 1999, median household incomes have jumped nearly 85%, and the population since 2000 has more than tripled, the highest growth rate in the entire state.

10. Prattville

If you were dropped in the middle of Prattville, you could easily be confused into thinking that you were in a classic New England town. This is an element of Prattville’s original design by founder Daniel Pratt, a New Hampshire native who established the first industry in Alabama. The town remains quite affordable for young families — the median home value of $149,900 is about 12% lower than the top 10 average.

Best cities for young families in Alabama

Location

GreatSchools rank

Median home value

Family income growth 1999-2013

Median family income in 2013

Percent of families with at least one child under age 18

Young families score

1

Southside

8

$153,600

53.16%

$80,355

31.60%

73.77

2

Meridianville

8

$165,200

70.17%

$93,194

28.60%

72.69

3

Madison

9

$229,400

75.92%

$112,323

28.40%

70.29

4

Trussville

8

$228,700

37.89%

$92,307

30.80%

68.20

5

Pelham

8

$164,800

51.24%

$82,891

23.30%

67.16

6

Hartselle

7

$131,700

63.76%

$66,260

28.50%

66.85

7

Auburn

8

$213,400

358.59%

$78,905

17.00%

66.40

8

Muscle Shoals

9

$128,700

48.41%

$59,686

21.40%

66.31

9

Calera

6

$138,700

84.57%

$65,800

27.90%

66.27

10

Prattville

7

$149,900

62.38%

$74,254

24.00%

65.03

11

Alabaster

6

$162,700

35.16%

$78,906

29.40%

64.84

12

Harvest

7

$163,600

9.92%

$67,404

25.50%

64.55

13

Millbrook

6

$141,900

55.18%

$68,026

25.70%

64.25

14

Spanish Fort

9

$207,900

35.12%

$76,611

23.30%

64.24

15

Oxford

7

$120,600

45.66%

$58,841

21.30%

63.92

16

Arab

8

$145,200

61.00%

$59,111

18.30%

63.44

17

Hoover

8

$262,500

57.96%

$97,905

26.40%

63.36

18

Enterprise

8

$161,800

84.89%

$69,632

21.00%

63.35

19

Gardendale

7

$163,500

62.44%

$74,375

21.20%

62.89

20

Fort Payne

5

$95,600

35.98%

$45,635

23.80%

62.78

21

Boaz

7

$102,900

64.89%

$42,375

18.30%

62.64

22

Homewood

9

$275,700

74.26%

$79,167

22.20%

62.54

23

Oneonta

7

$115,600

49.79%

$42,870

22.10%

61.85

24

Vestavia Hills

8

$338,100

57.41%

$111,169

28.50%

61.83

25

Glencoe

9

$110,700

40.57%

$53,958

11.20%

61.76

26

Hamilton

8

$91,200

27.54%

$35,060

20.30%

61.65

27

Robertsdale

6

$125,800

61.24%

$53,523

22.50%

61.64

28

Rainbow City

8

$148,600

36.31%

$54,819

17.10%

61.55

29

Fairhope

9

$243,400

83.83%

$78,885

20.20%

60.92

30

Albertville

6

$105,200

38.06%

$44,032

21.50%

60.53

31

Saraland

8

$134,100

48.52%

$56,908

16.90%

60.37

32

Daphne

7

$180,000

46.27%

$76,942

20.80%

59.80

33

Mountain Brook

8

$542,800

57.73%

$158,491

36.60%

59.38

34

Jacksonville

7

$129,300

110.68%

$49,986

15.00%

59.06

35

Pleasant Grove

6

$150,400

29.70%

$68,451

20.20%

58.90

36

Chickasaw

9

$84,700

18.28%

$31,979

13.60%

58.86

37

Northport

6

$161,500

73.36%

$69,701

19.70%

58.77

38

Opp

6

$79,600

77.59%

$47,419

14.60%

58.56

39

Scottsboro

6

$122,000

56.50%

$51,102

18.00%

58.45

40

Athens

6

$139,900

70.00%

$57,767

18.10%

58.35

41

Ozark

6

$102,000

104.34%

$59,933

13.70%

58.21

42

Jasper

7

$140,300

62.13%

$53,575

17.80%

58.12

43

Wetumpka

7

$139,000

32.40%

$47,050

15.30%

57.85

44

Lincoln

6

$120,700

58.94%

$54,125

15.30%

57.44

45

Leeds

5

$137,700

55.74%

$58,277

19.60%

57.32

46

Demopolis

6

$138,500

91.48%

$50,706

17.10%

56.92

47

Pell City

7

$157,700

36.48%

$50,839

18.20%

56.78

48

Florence

7

$117,800

79.71%

$50,911

12.60%

56.68

49

Cullman

7

$126,800

65.55%

$48,280

14.50%

56.62

50

Decatur

6

$120,400

42.16%

$52,874

14.30%

55.94

51

Alexander City

6

$101,200

36.12%

$39,894

16.30%

55.72

52

Hueytown

5

$114,500

35.65%

$55,923

18.60%

55.68

53

Roanoke

6

$87,800

43.34%

$38,625

14.30%

55.61

54

Orange Beach

8

$237,200

63.41%

$66,250

18.40%

55.52

55

Andalusia

7

$90,400

44.06%

$38,688

12.30%

55.50

56

Dothan

6

$138,000

51.51%

$53,030

16.20%

55.36

57

Tuscumbia

6

$92,600

84.10%

$51,167

13.70%

55.18

58

Russellville

5

$90,100

56.03%

$39,526

18.60%

55.12

59

Guntersville

8

$163,700

71.68%

$51,302

15.50%

54.70

60

Huntsville

6

$158,400

61.22%

$66,220

14.30%

54.53

61

Theodore

5

$116,300

28.02%

$43,206

20.20%

54.27

62

Valley

5

$79,400

36.27%

$42,782

14.00%

54.17

63

Sylacauga

6

$120,600

41.76%

$41,867

15.20%

53.46

64

Daleville

6

$92,500

39.00%

$47,917

12.60%

53.29

65

Brewton

8

$95,300

0.37%

$34,359

13.70%

53.02

66

Jackson

4

$90,000

77.58%

$61,810

14.00%

52.88

67

Irondale

5

$129,000

30.54%

$60,315

10.30%

52.49

68

Opelika

6

$140,900

53.76%

$51,351

13.20%

52.21

69

Montevallo

5

$161,500

114.88%

$65,625

11.70%

52.05

70

Gulf Shores

7

$198,400

28.32%

$53,671

16.60%

51.96

71

Fultondale

5

$128,000

77.56%

$67,482

13.40%

51.82

72

Sheffield

5

$83,600

63.91%

$43,721

11.90%

51.18

73

Foley

6

$162,600

64.05%

$51,834

12.90%

51.17

74

Mobile

6

$124,300

53.20%

$48,175

12.50%

51.13

75

Tuscaloosa

5

$163,500

92.09%

$53,268

13.40%

50.72

76

Eufaula

4

$125,500

77.63%

$49,576

16.00%

50.64

77

Phenix City

4

$116,200

57.19%

$42,001

15.80%

50.21

78

Attalla

5

$63,400

40.13%

$38,457

15.90%

50.13

79

Bay Minette

5

$112,100

69.24%

$46,078

12.90%

49.37

80

Montgomery

4

$119,200

52.79%

$54,434

14.20%

49.15

81

Gadsden

4

$71,200

41.42%

$35,105

10.60%

47.99

82

Midfield

3

$77,100

46.59%

$45,996

13.10%

47.03

83

Anniston

6

$92,600

63.43%

$44,754

7.20%

46.96

84

Atmore

3

$91,000

59.52%

$36,477

14.90%

46.88

85

Tarrant

4

$73,900

16.32%

$34,175

5.60%

46.22

86

Tuskegee

3

$80,000

115.53%

$40,712

8.40%

46.08

87

Lanett

4

$77,900

9.84%

$28,775

7.50%

46.07

88

Bessemer

4

$88,500

62.55%

$37,494

10.30%

46.07

89

Birmingham

4

$85,800

42.39%

$38,069

7.50%

44.82

90

Prichard

4

$66,400

55.72%

$30,434

7.60%

44.70

91

Talladega

3

$82,000

14.43%

$33,892

10.20%

43.58

92

Greenville

3

$100,000

61.26%

$35,648

7.50%

43.48

93

Fairfield

3

$93,100

45.60%

$40,542

4.30%

43.38

94

Childersburg

5

$119,300

28.72%

$30,806

10.10%

41.06

95

Monroeville

3

$91,100

25.14%

$35,326

10.20%

41.01

96

Selma

3

$83,900

44.31%

$30,681

6.00%

40.49

NerdWallet crunched the data for 96 places in Alabama — cities, towns and census-designated places. Only places with over 5,000 residents were analyzed, but 18 places were excluded because they lacked complete school data or 1999 income data.

Methodology

Home affordability. Home affordability, 30% of the total score, was calculated by averaging index scores for median home value and median selected monthly owner costs. The lower the costs, the higher the score.

Growth and prosperity. Growth and prosperity are 20% of the total score. The two metrics involved were growth in family income from 1999 to 2013, and median family income in 2013. Both were weighted equally and positively.

Family friendliness. To measure if an area is a good place for families, which is 30% of our total score, we looked at the percentage of married couples with at least one child under age 18, and the percentage of families in poverty with at least one child under age 5. The percentage of families with at least one child was 70% of the score, while the percentage of families in poverty was 30% of the score.

Educational quality. Using data from GreatSchools, every place was assigned a ranking from 1 to 10 for the quality of schools. Education is 20% of the total score.

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